“Little children, keep yourselves from idols”

1 John 5:21 (ESV)

When we read about the dangers of worshipping false god’s; images of golden calves and statues of Greek gods come to mind.  But false gods are not just man-made statues, they come in all shapes and sizes. False idols would be things that keep you turned toward this world and away from God’s world.  Another way of saying it would be an idol or false God would be anything that eclipses your devotion to God.

There was a young man in his early 20s who worked in his parent’s business.  Many customers knew his father had passed away leaving his mom and 3 younger siblings to run the family business.   

One customer, an older gentleman would seek the young man out to talk about world events.   On one particular visit he reached into his pocket and gave the young man a shiny silver half-dollar.  The older gentleman stated that prior to entering WWII, he purchased 6 of these half-dollars giving one to each of his 5 buddies and keeping one for himself.  All 6 of them returned safely from the war without a scratch.  

He recently purchased the 7^th coin for the young man and instructed him to carry it at all times.  It was an awkward moment for the young man but he humbly accepted the piece.   When he got home, he placed it in a box with a few other rare coins. Upon the customer’s next visit to the store, he asked about the half dollar expecting the young man to show it to him.   The young man explained it was safely at home in a box of keepsakes.  The WWII veteran was furious and explained it was a “good luck” piece and that the young man needed to have it on himself at all times.    The young man tried to explain that he was raised to have faith in God and not to believe in good luck charms.  He offered to return it to the gentleman who dismissed him with a wave of his hand and walked away. 

This elderly gentleman, a very nice man, a veteran of a foreign war had placed a lot of significance on a shiny object.  The irony is that the coin this gentleman prized and carried on himself all those years actually gave him the answer to where his loyalty should be.  As with that coin and on all U.S. currency lies the inscription, “In God We Trust”.   That young man probably lost a customer that day but I imagine his actions brought a huge smile from God.  

This story reminds me of a time when I stumbled in my faith.  Hawaii is known for their black sand beaches.  Hawaiian folklore states it is very bad luck to remove any of nature’s items from their beaches.  While on vacation in Hawaii and visiting Punalu’u Beach, I placed a beautiful shiny black rock in my pocket for a keepsake.   The test of my faith came later after I returned home.  I began to experience one negative event after another.  After a few weeks of continued difficulties, I was certain that little rock was punishing me, so I mailed it to the closest U.S. post office to Punalu’u Beach with a note asking the Post Master to return it to the beach for me.  I gave that little shiny rock power that it didn’t have.  I took my focus off of God and placed it on a shiny volcanic rock worn smooth by years of a tumbling surf.   Unlike the young man who received God’s smile in the previous story, I think God was shaking His head in disappointment at me.  

Six soldiers returned home from WWII without a scratch after carrying a silver half-dollar.  Bad luck strikes a vacationer after removing a shiny rock from a beach.  That’s how easy we create false gods in this world.  

“You shall have no other gods before Me.”  

Exodus 20:3 (ESV)

It is not the thing or idol that we worship that grieves the Holy Spirit, it is our worship in itself that grieves the Holy Spirit.  The idol is not real but our worship is, and that is what grieves the Holy Spirit.  Remember, God is a jealous God who created us and expects our exclusive worship. 

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”

Matthew 5:8 (ESV)

 A “pure heart” is an undivided heart.  A heart that is sincere and devoted in commitment to God.  It is with a pure heart that we are able to have a more intimate relationship with God because our hearts are not contaminated with the sins of this world like pride, jealousy, covetous, lust, and deceit.

If we focus on God by turning towards Him and being filled with His light, we are no longer tempted to place our beliefs in shiny coins or rocks or other man-made gods of this physical world.

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